Fantastic Fourth of July Fireworks

Bigger Booms Are Better

Are those dinky little sparklers not doing it for you? Do you want to celebrate Independence Day with a real bang instead of a sizzle? Good for you, Patriot. Here are some of the biggest fireworks displays in the U.S. Just don't get too excited and try to start your own show, let's leave that to the professionals.
Photo Credit: Getty Images

Biggest, Baddest Show in America: New York

No one decks out Fourth of July fireworks like Macy’s does, as preparations for the show begin more than a year in advance. Now in its 34th year, the Annual Macy’s Fourth of July Fireworks dazzle spectators with 40,000 displays of color over the Hudson River. New Yorkers are in for a real treat, as new fireworks will shoot out of the water and light the black sky. Rumor has it that Macy’s fireworks extravaganza has 55 times more explosives than the average show. Now that’s how the Fourth of July should be celebrated.
Photo Credit: Ed Yourdon

Most Patriotic: Washington D.C.

How much more American can you get than spending the Fourth of July in the nation’s capital? Join the sea of red, white and blue along Constitution Avenue when the National Independence Day Parade begins in the morning. As night settles in, head toward the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol to hear the internationally-renowned National Symphony Orchestra perform.
Prepared to be goggle-eyed when the Fourth of July fireworks light up the sky over the Washington Monument.
Photo Credit: J.W.Photography

Most Number of Shows: Philadelphia

Move over Independence Day, it feels more like Independence Week in America’s birthplace. Philadelphia outshines every other city on this list because the city has not one, not two but three fireworks shows during its Welcome America! Festival. The pyrotechnic display already lit up the skies on June 26, but don't worry, there are still two more shows on July 3 and July 4.
Starting June 25, the city will host 10 days of activities celebrating American history. Highlights include the Taste of Philadelphia, which allows visitors to sample the city’s finest cuisine, and an All-You-Can-Eat Ice Cream Festival.
Photo Credit: Kevin Burkett

Best of the West: Pasadena

Held at the Rose Bowl — the site of the annual college football championship — Americafest 2010 is your best shot at seeing a spectacular fireworks show on the West Coast. Watch fireworks in the shape of the American flag and Statue of Liberty blast through the summer sky for 30 minutes. Americafest will also feature a one-of-a-kind pyro-musical production that will retell the history of the nation. Be sure to buy tickets for the family on Ticketmaster as many of the special effects will only be visible from the inside of the stadium.
Photo Credit: rappensuncle

Largest Over Land: Houston

Join more than 100,000 revelers at Houston’s Freedom Over Texas — the biggest fireworks display in the state and the largest land-based fireworks show in the nation. This Fourth of July celebration will wow the crowd at Eleanor Tinsley Park with 17 minutes of pyrotechnic entertainment starting at 9:30 p.m. Free concerts will keep the audience’s attention throughout the day, with performers ranging in genre from latin to jazz to rock.
Photo Credit: pdtar

Best Mixture of Past and Present: Boston

Since 1973, the Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular has played Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture during their Fourth of July fete, so expect to hear howitzer cannons, fireworks and church bells before the extraordinary fireworks display finishes erupting over the Charles River. Feel your jaw drop when more than 20,000 pounds of explosives blast through Boston’s skies for the nation’s second-largest Fourth of July show. This year, Boston Pops will use the largest firework it has ever incorporated, a 10-inch diameter shell that will climb 1,500 feet — nearly one and a half times the height of the Hancock Tower.
Photo Credit: hyku

Most Valued by the Community: Seattle

Earlier this year, Family 4th announced that it was scrapping this year’s fireworks show because of low corporate funding. In a swift fairytale ending, Seattle businesses and residents raised more than $500,000 in less than 24 hours to keep the tradition alive. To applaud the city's efforts, Pyro Spectaculars — the pyrotechnics company setting off the fireworks — will finish off Family 4th with a grand finale double the size of the closing last year. Audience members will be dazzled by the innovative designs that the European-style fireworks will create in the dark sky over Lake Union. Seattle spectators are in for a real treat as the fiery displays will be choreographed and timed to the precise millisecond of an accompanying musical score.
Photo Credit: .Bala

Best for the Family: Orlando

Kick back and relax at one of Orlando’s family-friendly amusement parks on America’s national birthday. Disney’s Magic Kingdom, SeaWorld and Universal Studios all host exciting fireworks shows for tourists and citizens alike. Each theme park's Fourth of July celebrations are as spectacular as the next, so choose the show that satisfies your children’s tastes. Disney’s fireworks explode over Cinderella Castle, SeaWorld’s Fourth of July celebrations satisfy the animal lover and Universal’s show blows your mind with futuristic pyrotechnics. Admission rates for adults and children vary at each theme park.
Photo Credit: hyku

Best Away From the Crowd: Chicago

This year, Chicago opted to shift their Fourth of July fireworks away from the downtown hustle and bustle. Instead, spectators will be treated to three smaller shows around Chicago’s metropolitan area — one on the north side of the city, one on the south side and one at Navy Pier. The triple play of fireworks will be caught on the city’s 26 miles of lakefront when night settles, brightening the sky with an array of colors for 15 minutes.
Photo Credit: Herkie

Best Combination of Music and Entertainment: Nashville

Music City July 4th is Nashville’s annual take on Independence Day. Live music by artists ranging from Jaci Velasquez to Julianne Hough will play for the 100,000+ audience throughout the afternoon and evening at Riverfront Park. Parents can take their children to the free Family Fun Zone, where inflatable rides and food vendors will be stationed. The dazzling Fourth of July fireworks will easily impress you as they are launched along the banks of the Cumberland River and synchronized with the Nashville Symphony.
Photo Credit: southerntabitha